


Love and Loss

by Astrumiel, sasstrick



Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux, Sidewinder Series - Abigail Roux
Genre: AU, Adopted Children, Adoption, Canonical Character Death, Grief, Grief/Mourning, M/M, Mental Health Issues, alternative universe, nickels au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-29
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-10 04:01:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5570242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrumiel/pseuds/Astrumiel, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasstrick/pseuds/sasstrick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>***Black Market Orchids/Part & Parcel references and spoilers!!!***</p><p>Elias Sanchez finds out he is the father of a small boy. Two years after finding him, he passes away, leaving his best friend Nicholas O'Flaherty as his son's primary guardian. Nick decides to take the grieving boy to a camp for troubled children where he meets Kelly Abbott and together they face both love and loss.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love and Loss

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERRRRS
> 
> Eli has a kid. This is basically the only canon detail in this. We took the idea and ran with it. Enjoy!!!

Nick stared at the casket as rain pelted over it and the flag that lay over it. The air was cold and the atmosphere was heavy. He kept his eyes straight ahead and he was thankful for the rain as warm tears tracked down his cheeks. When the trumpets started, he, Ty, Digger, and Owen stepped forward, their back straight. Ty reached out and began to fold the flag with precision. Nick could see the tears in his eyes. 

Once done, he handed it to Nick and Nick turned to the small boy holding a dirty green striped sock monkey standing on the edge of the crowd. He was tense and red in his oversized suit with tears running down his broken face. He was looking straight ahead as he took the flag from Nick and held it to his chest with the monkey as the trembling took hold of him. His face was twisted in pain but he was determined to keep his body straight and proud as he held his father’s flag. 

Nick looked away, raising his hand to salute his dear friend and brother while the casket was lowered to the sound of gunshots and trumpets. 

A brother, a father, a friend, a marine. A hero was lost. And Nick felt empty. 

As the crowd dispersed, Nick remained beside his brothers. He turned to Poe and bent to pick up the small boy. He clung to Nick, burying his face in his neck while he let Nick take his pain. The sobs were heart wrenching as the little boy finally let himself break to the sight of his father’s burial. Ty raised a hand to rest on the boy’s back and the rest of Sidewinder surrounded them and wrapped their arms around each other, sharing the pain and support they all felt and needed. 

~*~

“We’re gonna miss you around here Ahanu, especially the older kids.” Kelly said helping the old man back into his wheelchair. 

“Do you count as one of those children?” Ahanu asked voice filled with his usual humor. 

“Of course I do, I’m the biggest kid here.” Kelly said smiling easily as he did. 

“Man ain’t that the truth.” Drew said walking by with one of the big baskets that used as containers outside when the weather was nice. 

Kelly just snorted and shook his head, before he began pushing the wheelchair towards the front porch of the main cabin. There was a cool breeze that greeted them on the front porch, a welcome change after months of heat that rolled relentlessly over them. 

“There’s a change in the wind, we haven’t had that in a long time.” Ahanu commented after a long while of studying it. 

“No we haven’t..” Kelly agreed not realizing what the old man meant by his words.   
The Elder looked over at Kelly and shook his head, smiling without commenting. They were all going to see a change coming soon enough, no need to fret over trying to make the boy understand it before anything happened. 

~*~

“How is he?” Ty asked softly. Nick swallowed, glancing up from the counter to look at Poe. The boy was coloring in his sketchbook that Digger had gotten him the weekend of the funeral a few weeks back. He hadn’t done much other than draw and color, only speaking when necessary. Nick understood, the kid just lost his father. The father he had just gotten. Nick was still worried. 

“Quiet,” Nick told him. Ty hummed into the receiver and Nick sighed, reaching for the cutting board to chop some of the veggies he’d just cleaned for dinner.

“How’s he doing in school?” Ty asked after a moment. Nick had been communicating with Poe’s teachers through email in an attempt to lessen the strain over the child.

“Same. He does his work, just doesn’t interact with the other kids. Keeps to himself and just does what needs to be done, I suppose,” Nick said, throwing the veggies into a pan to cook. 

“It’s been weeks, O,” Ty mumbled. 

“He lost his dad, dude. It’s gonna take time,” Nick muttered. 

“Yeah,” Ty sighed. “Listen, I was talking to Deuce-”

“He doesn’t need a shrink,” Nick snapped, feeling defensive. 

“No, I know. Sorry. I just was asking for advice. I’m worried, okay?” Ty rushed. “He suggested summer camp. We used to go to one every summer and it was really fun. Might be therapeutic. Figured it’d be nice before it gets too cold out.”

“Camp, Grady? Come on, he’s not going to want to be dropped off at some camp alone weeks after his dad died,” Nick muttered under his breath. Ty huffed a frustrated breath into Nick’s ear. 

“He won’t be alone. There’s other kids and counselors and if you’re that worried, you can volunteer as a chaperone. You’re a marine, they’d probably be thankful.”

“I don’t have time to chaperone,” Nick told him, tending to the food. 

“Oh get off it, O’Flaherty. You know damn well the chief will let you off on a weekend. You didn’t even take time off for Sanchez’s funeral,” Ty argued. Nick frowned down into the pan and went over the idea in his head. “At least let Poe decide if he wants to.”

“I’ll talk to him about it, okay?” Nick tried. 

“That’s all I ask,” Ty sighed. “I’ll text you the information. Nick… Sanchez left you as his primary guardian, but we’re all his family. We’re all your family.”

“I know, thank you,” Nick told him softly. 

“Love you, O. Call me if you need me.”

“Love you,” Nick said, hanging up and tossing his phone to the counter while he moved the food to plates. 

On a sigh, he picked up the food and turned to the table with Poe. The boy silently moved his sketchbook aside as Nick set his plate down in front of him. 

“What were you drawing?” Nick asked him, trying for conversation. 

“Animals,” Poe said quietly. 

“Oh, cool. What animals?” Nick asked, looking at him interested. He was almost scared to look in case the kid was drawing some morbid shit and he really did need to take him to a shrink.

“Birds. I like birds,” Poe told him, scooping up some of the stir fry into his mouth. 

“Can I see?” Nick asked him. Poe shrugged, not caring and Nick swallowed, reaching for the book. The birds weren’t bloody or dying thank god. Nick found himself impressed with the quality for a seven year old boy. “These are great,” Nick told him enthusiastically. “Do you make a lot of art in school?” He asked him. 

“Sometimes,” Poe said, focusing on the meal. Nick swallowed, setting the sketchbook back on the bench seat. 

“So Uncle Ty told me that you might want to try summer camp this year. He thought you might have fun if you wanted me to sign you up for one,” Nick said, watching for a reaction. The only indication Nick got that Poe had heard him was the slight pause in his eating. Slowly, Poe set his fork down and fluttered, reaching for Seymour the sock monkey that sat beside his hips. He clutched the thing to his chest while his eyes stuttered around the table. 

“Summer camp?” He asked quietly. Nick swallowed, his stomach flipping. 

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. Ty just thought you might enjoy it,” Nick tried, ducking his head to try and capture Poe’s eyes. Eyes so much like Eli’s. 

“You…” Poe tried, his voice now small and weak. warning bells went off in Nick’s head. “You want to get rid of me?” He asked Nick, looking up now. The fear was real in this wide eyes and Nick’s heart started slamming inside his rib cage. 

“No!” Nick exclaimed. He knew this was going to happen. He fucking knew it. “Of course not. I can see if I can be another chaperone or something so I’m there with you. I just thought you might have fun,” Nick reasoned. Poe didn’t calm much at that and Nick got up so he could crouch beside Poe’s seat. “I’m sorry, kid,” Nick soothed, smoothing his hand over Poe’s hair. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay,” Poe nodded, tucking his chin down to his chest. He swallowed and gave Nick a small, unsure smile. “Camp could be fun. As long as you’re there,” He mumbled. Nick sighed in relief, reaching for Poe and bringing him into a hug. 

“I’ll call and ask about it. If I can’t be there, we’ll go camping all by ourselves, how’s that?” Nick asked. Poe laughed softly and nodded into Nick’s embrace. 

“Dad’s friend Kelly has one. Dad was going to sign me up… before,” Poe stopped. 

“I’ll see if I can find any information on it, okay?” Nick asked, smiling down at Poe’s face. 

Poe nodded while Nick got back up into his seat. 

~*~

The flight to Colorado wasn’t half bad, Nick had expected Poe to be a bit apprehensive, but it turned out the kid loved it, or at least the part he was awake to see. Nick was slowly starting to see him working through his pain. He wasn’t quite the same as he was when Nick first met him but then again he never would be. Still he had started talking more as the trip approached, he was still quiet at school but he was starting to act like a kid again whenever he was on the boat with Nick. 

“Are you still mad at Uncle Ty?” Poe asked, startling Nick out of a thought, he thought Poe had still been asleep. 

“I’m not mad at him.” Nick said surprised. He wasn’t by any means thrilled with Ty’s new career choice but it wasn’t his choice to make. 

“You sounded mad when you were talking to him on the phone.” Poe looked at him sadly. “You sounded scared too.” 

“M’not mad at him kiddo, I just don’t like what he’s doing.” Nick answered him honestly. 

“Why? Is it bad?” Poe asked. 

“Nah he’s keeping people safe.” Nick assured him.

“Like you do?” 

“Kinda like that buddy.” Nick answered, holding back that it was still pretty dangerous, but Ty needed to do it and Nick knew that. Just like he knew that Poe needed to do this. 

“Buckle back up alright, we’re gonna be landing soon.”

~*~

“We’re still short a few people.”Drew told him glancing over the list of sign ups, there were kids running around already settling in and making friends. 

“Have a little faith.” Kelly sang walking past him, probably just as hyper as the five year olds they were going to be watching for the week. 

“Abbott last time you said that we wound up-” Kelly slapped his hand over Drew’s mouth before he could say anymore.

“Nope, not while there are kids in the area, damnit dude watch your mouth.”Kelly told him trying not to laugh at the memory, or the look on Drew’s face. 

“Says the guy swearing around them and their parents.” Drew said rolling his eyes. 

Something further down the paths caught his eye. “Look there’s your missing campers now.”

Kelly glanced over his shoulder, when a he had found out that one of the volunteer chaperones was a former marine who was bringing his own kid he had been expecting. . . well not this. 

He jogged over to them, watching them interact quietly. They hadn’t spoken a word to each other yet, but Kelly could tell this guy was his marine by the way he held himself. 

“Nicholas O’flaherty?” Kelly asked him.

“Nick, just Nick works.” The tall redhead- Nick, said meeting Kelly’s eyes. For a moment Kelly was stunned by him. 

“Good to meet you, I’m Kelly.” Kelly said reaching out to shake his hand before snapping back into counselor mindset. “Welcome to camp.” he added with a smile before turning to the boy with the sock monkey that was waiting nervously by Nick’s side. 

“Hey there.” He greeted crouching down to be closer to the boy’s height.”You’re Poe right?”

The boy nodded, clutching the sock monkey closer to his chest. Kelly tilted his head a little to try to meet his gaze, there was something familiar looking about him. 

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Kelly told him holding out a hand to make him feel welcome. After a hesitant glance at Nick he took Kelly’s hand and shook it. 

“You ready for camp Poe? Going to help me and Nick run this place?” Kelly asked kindly. 

He was about to ask if he the boy signed rather than spoke when he got an answer, not quite the one he was expecting either.

“Me and Uncle Nick get to help you?” He asked sounding a little awed at the idea. 

“Yeah buddy, if you want to.” Nick said looking gratefully at Kelly. Poe considered the idea for a moment before nodding again. “Okay.”

“Why don’t you take your bag over to Drew and see your assignment?” Kelly smiled at the kid and Poe nodded,a shy smile playing over his lips. 

“Okay,” He glanced at Nick and Nick grinned, crouching down to move his hair from his face. 

“Right behind you, kid,” He winked and Poe let out a breath of relief before throwing his arms around Nick’s neck and hugging tight and fast, Seymour the sock monkey smushed against Nick’s cheek. 

“Thank you Uncle Nick. I love you,” He told him before letting go and turning to walk shyly over to the other counselor. 

Nick straightened, emotion clogging his throat and turned to Kelly. 

“Welcome to the team, Marine,” Kelly grinned. “Wanna tell me about him a little?” 

“Father passed away a few weeks back. Figured this would do him some good,” Nick explained. 

“I have a feeling that’s only the first layer of it,” Kelly cocked his head. 

Nick bit his lip and sighed, nodding. “Yeah, his dad didn’t know about him until he was four. By the time we found him, he was in foster care. Some issues with his mom put him into the system. EZ was able to gain custody pretty quickly. That was two years ago,” Nick explained, averting his eyes. Kelly studied him for a moment before nodding. 

“Gained his dad, then turned around and lost him, huh?” Kelly sighed. “That’s rough. So you’re adopting him then?” Kelly asked. 

Nick nodded, “He left me as the primary guardian. Didn’t sit well with the grandparents, but it’s what E wanted,” Nick sighed. 

“Were you his partner then?” He asked and Nick’s eyes shot up to lock on Kelly’s. He stumbled a moment, shaking his head. 

“No, no. Just a friend. Brothers,” Nick explained. 

“Ah, okay I get it,” Kelly nodded, bringing up his clipboard. “For filing purposes we may need to have any issues he might have. We have a vast amount of kids here with different experiences and problems. I have that he has experienced loss and abandonment,” Kelly winced. “Sorry if this feels harsh, we just need to have everything down so we don’t expose him to anything triggering,” He explained. 

Nick swallowed, nodding, “I understand.”

“Is he aggressive?” Kelly asked and Nick glared a little, shaking his head. 

“No, he’s very quiet. Keeps to himself. More prone to crying. Less violent.”

“He may not have reached that part of his grieving yet. I don’t want to say he will, but I’m going to write it down as a possibility,” Kelly explained softly. “Every kid is different, but as an orphan… It might happen. Don’t be alarmed if it does,” Kelly explained, turning his gaze away from Nick’s to jot down some things a little nervously. 

“He’s not violent,” Nick argued weakly. 

“But we do have a few aggressive kids on this trip-”

“What do you mean?” Nick cut him off, his body going cold. 

“This is a camp for troubled children Mr. O’Flaherty,” Kelly explained obviously. 

“I get that, but are these kids dangerous?” Nick asked. 

“Not… necessarily. Nick, listen,” Kelly reached for him and Nick continued to glare. “The camp will be run by a Navy SEAL, Corpsman, and a Recon Marine. I think we’re good,” He explained, lifting his brows for emphasis. After a moment Nick relaxed and nodded. 

“Okay,” Nick grunted, looking at his shoes. He thought a moment, wanting to help with this as much as he could. “He has difficulty with affection. Low self confidence when it comes to adult care. Other than that, he’s just… everything seems to be internal.”

Kelly smiled, nodding. “Thanks Nick. I think we’re good. Welcome to the team,” He saluted and patted him on the shoulder. 

Kelly turned to walk back when a flurry of energy came bounding right at him, wrapping around his knees before he had a chance to take another step further. 

“MR. KELLY IT’S ME!” A happy voice announced. The girl currently testing Kelly’s balance skills was probably around the same age as Poe, dark hair pulled back and wearing a camp shirt covered in signatures and pins. 

“Hey Tally.” Kelly said grabbing blindly for something to hold on to. 

“Did ya miss me?” She demanded still not letting go.

“Of course I did.” Kelly told her glancing desperately around to find her uncle, when he finally spotted Drew all he got from him was a smug grin and a little wave. 

“Why don’t you go give your uncl-”

“Whoes that?” She demanded looking past Kelly at Nick. “Where’s Mr. Ahanu?”

Kelly finally lost the battle with gravity and went falling backwards just as Tally finally stopped hugging his knees. He braced himself expecting to hit the ground hard when a strong pair of arms caught him just above the hard earth underneath him. He looked up to see one bemused Nick O’Flaherty looking down at him.

“Don’t you usually save the crazy trust exercises for the end of the whole trip?” Nick asked helping him stand back up.

“Usually.” Kelly agreed with a smile. “But some of us are a little too excited to wait.” He said looking at the little girl as he said it.

“Oops.” She said then walked over to Nick. “You’re okay I guess but only because you caught Mr. Kelly and he’s my favorite.” She told Nick and then turned around to join the growing group of kids, yelling to her uncle. 

“You seem popular.” Nick commented, picking up his own pack again and trying to find Poe in the mess of kids. So far so good, it looked like Poe was going to get to have a normal summer, and the counselor seemed like a good guy. 

He finally spotted Poe waiting cautiously by the tree line alone, holding Seymour close. Nick was about to wave him over when he saw one of the kids approach. 

“Hey you’re new aren’t you?” She asked and Nick immediately recognized her. It was a tug of war whether to go over and stand next to Poe, or to let him figure this one out on his own. 

“Hey Recon, it’s cool.” The other counselor said walking up next to him. “She does this a lot.” 

Nick considered what he said for a second watching as Poe nodded shyly and took her hand when she offered it. 

“I’m gonna show you all my favorite things okay?” She said seriously. 

“Kay.”

“Good but you gotta promise to show me your favorite thing too, otherwise s’not so much fun.” She explained. 

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he answered. “Okay but you first.”

Nick watched as Tally pulled a smiling Poe along. The smile eased Nick’s nerves and he breathed out in relief. 

“And that’s what we’re here for,” Kelly said softly from beside him.


End file.
